Troops dislodge terror group from Lanao town

Troops have dislodged an undetermined number of gunmen from the Islamic State-linked Maute group who took over an abandoned building in the southern Philippine town of Butig in Lanao del Sur province, touching off weeklong heavy clashes that left scores of the enemy dead, the military said on Thursday.

Armed forces spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said the Army was to turn over the “poblacion” to local government officials after soldiers combed the area to make sure there were no improvised bombs left behind by the fleeing gunmen.

“It’s 100 percent cleared. The built-up areas of Butig municipality is now clear to give and pave the way for its turnover to the local government, so that they can now allow some of the residents who still stay there to go back to their homes,” Padilla told a press briefing in Manila.

The military stepped up its offensive after the weekend, pounding the rebel position with artillery and bombs dropped from aircraft. Sixty-two Maute gunmen were killed and 12 others were wounded in the fighting, while 35 were wounded on the government side.

The army said it had launched pursuit operations for the rest of the gunmen, estimated to number between 150 and 200 at the start of the battle. Thousands of residents fearful of getting caught in the crossfire were also forced to flee.

Criminal

The Maute group has been blamed for criminal acts in Lanao, Maguindanao and portions of Cotabato. President Duterte has blamed it for a September blast that killed 15 at a night market in his hometown of Davao City, and for planting a bomb—which was found and safely defused—near the US Embassy in Manila this week.

The national police on Thursday placed its entire force on “extreme alert for terrorists” believed to be planning attacks in Manila. The alert meant that an imminent attack within a short period of time was possible, as mobile checkpoints and intelligence activities were intensified.

“The town is deserted and the Maute is withdrawing toward the mountain,” Padilla said. “They have been decimated. The capability to sustain and get back to the fight is no longer there.”

The withdrawal came a day after President Duterte visited the wounded soldiers and warned the gunmen to give up or face a “harsher” offensive. He said the army was prepared for a longer offensive against the Maute, who flies the black flag of the Islamic State.

The incident highlights the challenges facing President Duterte in keeping order in the country, particularly in his native south that has been wracked by nationalist rebellions for decades.

Denial

Meanwhile, Padilla said there was no truth to allegations that a roadside blast that injured six, including members of President Duterte’s advanced security, could have been faked. A youth group said it spoke to residents in the area who claimed they didn’t see any explosions or signs of fighting.

But Padilla insisted that the blast was due to an improvised bomb planted on the roadside and triggered by a mobile phone call.

He also said that safety measures have been taken to secure the safety of returning residents, particularly those who lived in the outskirts.

Asked how the Maute group was able to plant a bomb despite the heavy presence of troops in the area, Padilla said guarding such a sprawling area was like “looking for a needle in a haystack.”